Overhead steel-plate-conveyer mechanism



Nov. 5, 1928.

1,690,502 G. RAYMOND OVERHEAD STEEL PLATE CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1,1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q) 3 INVENTOR.

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Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,502

G. RAYMOND OVERHEAD STEEL PLATE CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Aug- 1, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 6, 1928.

G. RAYMOND OVERHEAD STEEL PLATE CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. mzaJPa 27: Z

Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GWYNNE RAYMOND, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO BLACK, SIVALLS &

BRYSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF KANEJAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORA- 'lION OF DELAWARE.

OVERHEAD STEELPLATE-CONVEYER MECHANISM.

Application filed August 1, 1927. Serial No 209,802.

This invention relates to automaticswitches for use in connection with overhead conveyors and is more particularly adapted for use where a pair of trolleys are employed,

a said trolleys ordinarily travelling in tandem relation on a single track and being spaced apart by a spreader bar, the switch operating will hereinafter appear to turn the rear most trolley onto one of a pair ofparallel tracks extending laterally to the main or straight track, the front trolley being guided onto the other of said tracks.

The construction of the invention is particularly desirable for carrying metal. plates and the like from a paintiu g or dipping rack so that the plates may be suspended side by side for storage or other purposes, but it will be evident that the construction will be found efiicient whereever it is desired to guide a pair of trolleys which are ordinarily in tandem relation onto a pair of individual parallel tracks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of safety catches forming supports for metallic plates provided with a ies of perforations near their upper edges, one of said catches being particularly adapted for flanged plates, while the other will sup port straight edged plates against accidental dislocation of the load, except when it has been properly tripped as will appear hereinbelow.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a strong, durable, efficient and incxoonsive construction; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be l ad to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a. top plan view of an overhead conveyor system embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section taken in front of the switch operating mechanism.

Figure 4; is a top plan view of the mechanism as shown in Figure Figure 5 is a side view of the mechanism as shown in Figure Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of the safety hook used with flanged plates.

Figure 7 is an end view of the device as shown in Figure 6.

In the said drawings, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates a trackway carried by suitable depending supports (not shown) secured to the ceiling of a building; said trackwayproviding a guide for an endless travelling drive chain 2 provided with antifriction rollers 3 and a series of projecting fingers 3 for propelling the load. Secured to the supports in such a position that the load may be driven by the driving fingers 3 is a main or straight track at upon which a pair of grooved wheels 5 of a pair of trolleys 6 and 7 ride, said trolleys depending to a plane below that of the driving fingers 3, and having their lower ends flanged for swivelling connection with a horizontal spreader bar 8 to maintain the trolleys a fixed distance apart and to operate a switch mechanism to be referred to hereinbelow. Under operative conditions the trolleys are propelled along the track l by one of the fingers 3 in abutment with one of the trolleys.

Extending laterally from the main track 4: are a pair of parallel tracks 9 and 10, the former being adapted to receive the trolley 7 and the latter the trolley 6, it being of course understood that said tracks may be inclined for gravitative action of the trolleys or may be provided with power propulsion devices if so desired. If it is desired to guide the trolleys onto their respective tracks 9 and 10 from the main or straight track 4, a manually operated switch 11 of any desired character, is operated to remove the straight segment 12 thereof and substitute a curved segment 13 connecting the straight track 4 with the lateral track 9, the front trolley 7 as will hereinafter appear will thus travel from the main track onto the track 9.

In order to provide means whereby the secondor rear trolley 6 shall. be guided onto its lateral track 10, the front trolley 7 passing by the switch to track 10 on the straight segment, the following mechanism is provided, it being here understood that the particular switch mechanism to be described forms no part of the invention, but is illustrated and described as a matter of con venience and that any suitable switch may be substituted.

A switch ll is mounted in the main line at a distance in front of the switch 11 equal to the length of the spreader bar 8 of the trolleys 6 and 7,.said switch 14 having a straight segment 15 and a curved track segment 16, the straight track segment 15 being pivoted for horizontal movement as at 18 and having a projecting operating arm 19 so that the straight track segment may be swung into or out of alinement with the straight track 4, the straight track being notched as at- 15 to accommodate the said straight section.

The curved segment 16 is pivotally mounted From a consideration of the above it will be apparent that if it is desired to guide trolleys 6 and Tonto their respective lateral tracks 10 and 9, mechanism must be provided which will permit the first trolley 7 to pass the first switch 14 before the curved portion of said switch is thrown into operative position, the parts being so proportioned that the pair or" trolleys will turn on their respective switches 11 and 14 at the same instant.

When itis desired to use a pair of lateral parallel tracks 9 and 10, the curved segments 13 and 16 of switches 11 and 14 are placed in operative position and the automatic switch mechanism for the switch 14 is connected, said mechanism comprising a support 22 secured to the ceiling in advance of the switch 14 a distance slightly less than the length of the understood that the rocker arm 24 is to apply counteracting force against the spreader bar 8 to insure operation of a pivoted s itch 0perating-arm to be hereinafter described for the automatic operation of the switch 14. Pivoted in the upper end of the support 22 is a locking lug 28 having a pair of notches 29 and 30, the notch 30 as shown in Figure 3, being used to cooperate with a lug 30 integral with the rocker arm 24, when it is in operative position, to prevent the weight 27 from swinging the rocker arm 24'inwardly to such a point as to interfere with the proper passage of the spacer bar 8, and the other notch 29 being used to lock the weighted rocker arm 24 in re tracted position as regards the spacer bar when the automatic switch operating mechanism is not in operative position, the position ofthe lug being manually controlled by a rod 31.

Cast integrally with the support 22 on the side opposite from and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the switch 14, are a pair of bearings 32 for rotatably supporting a vertical shaft 33. Connected to the lower end of the shaft 33 is a switch operating lever 34 equipped at its end with a roller 35 for successive engagement by the end and edge of a spacer bar 8 as said spacer bar passes between said roller 35 and the rollers 25 of the weighted rocker arm. The force applied by the weighted rocker arm is greater than the resistance to the operation of the switch so that the trolleys maintain their vertical position and push orthrust the switch operating lever 34- in the direction of the arrow, Figure 4. Connected to the upper end of the shaft 33 is an operating lever arm 36, and secured to and connecting the end of .said arm 36 and the switch operating lever 19 of the straight seg ment- 15 of the switch 14, is a reach rod 37. Connected to the operating arm 36 and tending to move the same in a direction opposite from the direction of movement imparted by the switch operating lever 34 by the passage of the spacer bar, is a retractile spring 38.

With the construction described, as a pair of trolleys approach the switch operating mechanism, the end of the spacer bar 8 strikes the first abutment roller 25 and substantially simultaneously comes into abutment with roller 35 of the switch operating lever 34, the counterweighted arm 24 insuring that the switch lever 34 shall be oscillated instead of the counterweight being moved away from position, although the re sistance of the parts is such that the counterweight arm will under certain conditions move slightly to accommodate variations in width of the spacer bars 8. As before stated the curved segment 16 of the switch 14 is normally in position, and when the switch mechanism is operated by the front end of the spreader bar, the curved portion 16 is moved. from position and the straight porion 15 is inserted into position. The switch 14 is held in this position for the full length of the spreader bar 8 and upon passage of the spreader bar beyond the rollers 25 and 35, the force tending to maintain the straight portion of the track in position against the action of the retractile spring 38 and the gravitative weight of the curved segment 16, is removed. This release occurs just prior to the approach of the rear trolley 6 to the switch 14 so that said trolley shall be directed onto its lateral track 10, it being understood, that during this entire movement the trolleys are propelled by a finger 3 in contact with one of such trolleys, the finger being suniciently long to'maintain contact with the trolley until it has fully entered the curved portion of its particular switch and has commenced to travel away by gravity or has been picked up by any suitable constantly driven means to propel the trolleys on the parallel tracks 9 and 10.

When it is not desired to employ the automatic switch operating means, the rocker arm is withdrawn and locked by engaging lug of rocker arm 24 with notch 29 of the pivoted locking lug 28 and the spring 88 is disconnected and the switch manually placed in position with the straight segment 15 in alinement with track 4 so that the trolleys shall continue their'tandem relation on the main track.

The safety catch for the support of straight edged plates, it being understood that a pair of said supports have swivelled connection with and are suspended from points adjacent opposite ends of the spacer bar and preferably directly under the point of connection of said bar with the trolleys, comprises a strap 39 having near its'lower end a projecting pin 40 of diameter to pass through the smallest perforation of the plates which the device is designed to carry. The pin 40 is passed through one of the perforations adjacent the upper edge of a plate 41 and said plate is retained in position against accidental dislodgment by a slidable lock comprising a body portion 42 sliding on the strap 39 and formed with a depending fork 43 spaced from the strap '39 and adapted to overlap the upper edge of the plate 451, the pin 40 being received between the. times of the fork as shown most clearly in Figure 5. It will be apparent that with this construction, the operator will manually move the locking member l2 upwardly, will engage the pin 40 with a hole in the edge of the plate, and will then release the lock which will return to locked position by gravity and efficiently insure against the accidental disengagement of the plate with the pin 40.

The safety catch to be used in connection with flanged plates is shown in enlarged Figures 6 and 7 and comprises a depending strap i l having swivelled connection at its upper end around the head of a bolt 45 adapted to engage the spacer bar 8. The lower end of the strap 44 s turned at right angles as at $6, and said horizontal portion carries a pin t? corresponding to the pin 41 of the straight edged safety catch. The flange 48 of a plate 49 having perforations adjacent the edge of the flange is engaged over the pin 47 and is locked in position through a pivoted lock 50 mounted on a projecting bolt 51 carried by the strap 44. said lock being arcuate and being pivoted off center so that plates of varying gages may be held securely in position, the arcuate portion being formed with a periphe al groove 52 to receive the projecting pin 47 as shown most clearly in Figure 7. The rear end of the segmental lock member is solid and is provided with projecting cars 53 for the convenience of the operator in pivoting the lock member to effect withdrawal of the pin from the groove so that the flanged plate may be removed from post tion by lifting the same upwardly. It will be apparent that the l ck will swing down by gravity and due to the fact that it is pivoted oil center and will therefore contact with the upper surface of the plate, will efliciently lock all plates, regardless of their from the maximum to the minimum thickness.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a switch operating mechanism and safety suspension hooks for plates and the like which embody all the features of advantage set out as desirable, and while I have described the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make all changes properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. The combination of a main track; a branch track, a switch for connecting said main and branch tracks, a pair of inter-corn nected de *ices adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track, and means actuated by said devices for operating said switch to guide one of said devices onto the branch track.

2. The combination of a main track a branch track a switch for connecting said main and branch tracks, a pair of interconnected devices adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track, and means actuated by said devices for operating said switch to guide the second device onto said branch track.

8. The combination of a main tracin'a branch track, a switch for connecting said main and branch tracks a pair of inter-connected devices adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track. and means to move said switchto a predetermined position pending the passage of the first device over the switch and to permit the switch to return to original position prior to the passage of the second device.

4. The combination of a main track, a

branch track, a switch for connecting said adapted to travel in tandemvrelation on said main track, a connection between said devices and bearing a swivelled relation thereto, means to be operated by said connection to move the switch to a predetermined position pending the passage thereover of the first device and to permit the switch to return to original position prior to the passage of the second device, and means to return the parts to normal position after the passage of the second device.

6. The combination of an overhead track, a branch track, a switch for connecting said tracks, a pair of trolleys adapted to travel in tandem relation on the main track, a connection between said trolleys and bearing a swivelled relation thereto, and arock arm in the path of travel of said connection for the operation of the switch to guide one of said trolleys onto the branch track.

7 The combination of an overhead track, a branch track, a switch for connecting said tracks, a'pair of trolleys adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track, a connection between said trolleys and bearing a swivelled relation thereto, a rock arm in the path of travel of said connection for the tracks, a pair of trolleys adapted to travel in tandem relation on said tracks, a connection between said trolleys and bearing a swivelled relation thereto, a rock arm in the path of travel of said connection, said rock arm when operated by the connection moving the switch to predetermined position pending the passage thereover of the first trolley, and means to return the switch to normal position prior to the passage of the second trolley.

9. The combination of an overhead track, a branch track, a switch for connecting said tracks, a pair of trolleys adapted to travel in tandem relation on said maintrack, a connection between said trolleys and bearing a swivelled relation thereto, and a rock arm to the rear of said switch as regards the direction of travel of said trolleys, in the Path of travel of said connection, said rock arm when operated by the connection moving the switch to predetermined position pending the passage thereover of the'first trolley and permitting the switch to return to normal position prior to the passage of the second trolley over the switch.

10. Thecombination of a main track, a pair of branch tracks, a pair of switches for connecting said main and branch tracks, a pair of devices adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track and in parallel relation on said branch tracks, and means actuated by said devices for operating one of said switches.

11. The combination of a main track, a branch track, a switch connecting the main and branch tracks, a pair of interconnected devices adapted to travel in tandem relation on said main track or one device on the main and one on the branch, and meansactuated by said devices whereby the switch is in one position upon the passage of one device and in its other position upon the passage ofthe other device.

12. The combination ofan overhead track, a pair of branch tracks, a pair of switches for connecting said tracks, a pair of trolleys adapted to travel in tandem relation on the main and in parallel relation on the branch tracks, a connection between said trolleys and bearing a swivelled relation *thereto, and means actuated by said connection for operating one of said switches.

13. Switch operating mechanism for conveyer systems, comprising a yielding element adapted to be connected at one end to a switch and having its other end in the path of travel of a conveyor, and abutment means adapted for contact with a conveyer in opposition to said element.

14. Switch operating mechanism for conveyer systems, comprising a yielding element adapted to be connected at one end to a switch and having its other end in the path of travel of a conveyer, and yielding abutment means adapted for contact with a conveyer in opposition to said element.

15. A switch operating mechanism for conveyer systems, comprising a yielding element adapted to be connected at one end to a switch and having its other end in'the path oii' travel of a conveyor, and yielding abutment means adapted for contact with a conveyer in opposition to said element, and means to lock said abutment-means in inoperative position.

In testimony whereof-I affix my signature.

GWYNNE RAYMOND. 

